CSU Channel Islands, NOAA sign agreement on use of drones

CSU Channel Islands and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Tuesday morning signed an agreement on the use of drones around Santa Rosa Island and along the coast, officials said.

The agreement was signed during the dedication of the newly opened Sierra Hall.

With the signing of the agreement, students and faculty will be able to access offshore waters and airspace near the island, university officials said.

NOAA will also have easier access to flying and swimming robots developed by the university for coastal monitoring.

A memo sent to CSU campuses in May stated that if one of them wanted to use drones for research, it had to apply for a public use certificate of authorization from the Federal Aviation Administration. Channel Islands submitted a formal request to CSU to vouch for its eligibility and the agency agreed in late July that Channel Islands was authorized to apply.

University researchers already have drones to use on Santa Rosa, which is part of Channel Islands National Park. In December, the college also received two gift drones from Northrop Grumman Corp. The university initially said the two drones would be used for the environmental research, but they are too big for that, officials said.

Channel Islands plans to work with the National Park Service and the NOAA in conducting its research and is sensitive to the mission of the national parks.